Fence with removable slats

ABSTRACT

A fence system constructed of vertical posts with upper and lower rails connecting the posts. The bottom rail is a cup or a trough in which wooden fence slats sit. The top rail consists of a rigid back that is permanently affixed to both posts and a removable or hinged front that opens to permit slats to be inserted or removed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Application/Control Number: 10/282,051, abandoned

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Since time immemorial, property owners have sought to define the limits of their estate by means of physical markings. As man moved to cities, this desire to define the limits of ownership was nonetheless compelling, but as more people began to live in closer proximity, the desire to express the limits of ownership expanded to meet other human needs. Fences in cities and towns now serve to create privacy, serve as protection from intruders and to enclose pets. In many suburban areas of the United States almost every house has a fence.

The primary disadvantage of the classic “back-yard” wood fence is that the wood deteriorates and it ultimately must be replaced in its entirety. Of course metal fences are available, but metal fences are either insubstantial (consider the chain link fence) or they afford no significant privacy (consider the iron spoke fence). This invention provides the homeowner with the best of both worlds: a metal (or other durable material) structure that contains wooden fence slats that does not have to be replaced in its entirety when the wood deteriorates. This invention provides a true wooden fence that can be replaced with new wood without any tools whatever. Once the metallic structure is installed, a teenager can literally replace the entire fence in one day—with the only cost being the cost of the wood. All that is necessary to install the wood in this fence is to open or remove the upper horizontal support member, place each successive slat in the cup of the lower horizontal support member and then close or replace the upper horizontal support member.

Against this background, various applications have been proposed for the construction of fences. These comprise three types of fences, picket fences, wire mesh fences and back-yard fences. See the following.

The Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,127 discloses a fence construction wherein the slats are inserted vertically through a wire mesh. Also see the Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,929 which presents slats with stops inserted into a wire mesh and Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,922 disclosing another version of slats inserted in to a wire mesh.

The McClure U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,069 discloses a louvered fence with horizontal angulated slats.

The Lancer, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,289 discloses a fence constructed into a pattern of interlocking vertical slats.

The Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,2914 provides for fence slats to be inserted into holes. See also a similar hole construction in the Pettit U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,514.

The Schwartz U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,279 discloses an imitation wood picket fence arrangement whereby the pickets are u-shaped and held in place by inserting the pickets over similarly formed protrusion in the upper transverse horizontal member.

The Barrett U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,239 discloses a fence arrangement wherein the pickets are sheet metal and held in place with horizontal stringers.

The Murray U.S. Pat. No. 2,685,432 discloses a fence arrangements whereby metal pickets are inserted into the ground and held in place by an upper horizontal member to which they are fastened by the use of fasteners.

The Roberts U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,967 discloses a fence construction with vertical slats with notches cut in the edges. The notches correspond to punched tabs and the slats are bent and expand to secure them within notches.

The Cofield U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,112 discloses a fence that is collapsible and therefore moveable, with pickets that are permanently attached.

The Revell U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,754 discloses a fence structure that utilizes grooves in the upper horizontal member that mate with correspondant structures on the pickets.

The Bos U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,752 discloses a guardrail fence for use on a balcony with pickets or slats inserted through holes in the upper and lower horizontal members.

The Lustvee U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,948 discloses a fence whereby the slats or pickets are hung in a groove.

The Emmie U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,272 discloses a fence wherein the slats or pickets are connected by stringers and fit into grooves.

The Gibbs U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,064 discloses a fence with insertable slats bound together by an interior bar.

The Michael U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,031 discloses an outdoor railing system wherein the slats are inserted in slots.

The Scheidegger U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,560 discloses a fencing system wherein the slats are inserted on to protruding holders.

The Gow U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,105 discloses a paneling system for bamboo wherein each slat is held with a nail.

The Patrick U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,957 discloses a fence system wherein the slats are held in place by a plurality of vertically elongated slots through which fasteners extend and secured by stringers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention differs from the traditional wooden backyard fence in that the wooden slats are easily removable and held in place by means of removable or hinged bar. This design differs from standard backyard fences in that the slats are not permanently affixed to the structure. The advantage of this design over the design of the standard backyard fence is that when the wooden slats deteriorate, they may be replaced without the use of any tools. In this way, a rotten fence can be replaced for the cost of materials only—and in the space of a few hours. Since the slats are not affixed to the fence structure, varying sizes of slats may be used, so the homeowner may increase the height of the fence simply by inserted longer slats, or slats of different colors, or different colors on opposite sides, or slats of varying heights in order to produce an artistic curving fence top.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

The drawing of this invention contains a front view only showing three possible variations of slat sizes and designs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention consists of a fence construction for use with a pair of substantially vertical posts. The posts are laterally spaced from each other and have at least two horizontal support members affixed to each post. The upper horizontal support member consists of a back rail permanently affixed to the two posts with a flat surface and a removable or hinged front rail that mounts directly in front of the back rail. When secured in place, the front rail is offset from the back rail by a distance approximately equal to the depth of a standard wooden fence slat. Wooden fence slats are placed against the back rail and secured in place by the front rail. The back rail or the front rail contains metallic protrusions that slightly penetrate the wooden fence slats and hold them in place. The lower horizontal transverse support member forms an extended “cup” with a bottom, a front side and a back side and is open on the top. It contains holes on the bottom to permit drainage. The bottom portions of the fence slats rest in the cup of the lower horizontal transverse support member. A middle horizontal support member is a flat rail against the back of the fence slats rest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1. Common wooden fence slat.

2. Fixed member of upper horizontal support member.

3. Metallic protrusions.

4. Front member of upper horizontal support member.

5. Fence post.

6. Lower support member with three sided base.

LIST OF PATENT REFERENCES

The Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,127 discloses a fence construction wherein the slats are inserted vertically through a wire mesh. Also see the Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,929 which presents slats with stops inserted into a wire mesh and Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,922 disclosing another version of slats inserted in to a wire mesh.

The McClure U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,069 discloses a louvered fence with horizontal angulated slats.

The Lancer, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,289 discloses a fence constructed into a pattern of interlocking vertical slats.

The Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,2914 provides for fence slats to be inserted into holes. See also a similar hole construction in the Pettit U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,514.

The Schwartz U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,279 discloses an imitation wood picket fence arrangement whereby the pickets are u-shaped and held in place by inserting the pickets over similarly formed protrusion in the upper transverse horizontal member.

The Barrett U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,239 discloses a fence arrangement wherein the pickets are sheet metal and held in place with horizontal stringers.

The Murray U.S. Pat. No. 2,685,432 discloses a fence arrangements whereby metal pickets are inserted into the ground and held in place by an upper horizontal member to which they are fastened by the use of fasteners.

The Roberts U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,967 discloses a fence construction with vertical slats with notches cut in the edges. The notches correspond to punched tabs and the slats are bent and expand to secure them within notches.

The Cofield U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,112 discloses a fence that is collapsible and therefore moveable, with pickets that are permanently attached.

The Revell U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,754 discloses a fence structure that utilizes grooves in the upper horizontal member that mate with correspondant structures on the pickets.

The Bos U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,752 discloses a guardrail fence for use on a balcony with pickets or slats inserted through holes in the upper and lower horizontal members.

The Lustvee U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,948 discloses a fence whereby the slats or pickets are hung in a groove.

The Emmie U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,272 discloses a fence wherein the slats or pickets are connected by stringers and fit into grooves.

The Gibbs U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,064 discloses a fence with insertable slats bound together by an interior bar.

The Michael U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,031 discloses an outdoor railing system wherein the slats are inserted in slots.

The Scheidegger U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,560 discloses a fencing system wherein the slats are inserted on to protruding holders.

The Gow U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,105 discloses a paneling system for bamboo wherein each slat is held with a nail.

The Patrick U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,957 discloses a fence system wherein the slats are held in place by a plurality of vertically elongated slots through which fasteners extend and secured by stringers. 

1. A pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical metal posts; upper and lower horizontal support members affixed to said vertical metal posts and spaced vertically apart; fence slats extending from said lower horizontal support member to said upper horizontal support member; said upper horizontal support member comprising a fixed member between said two vertical metal posts and a removable front rail that is hinged to one of said vertical posts and latches to said other vertical metal fence post, said slats held between said fixed member and said removable front rail; and the lower support member having a three sided base in which the bottom of each of said slats resides.
 2. A pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical metal posts; upper and lower horizontal support members affixed to said vertical metal posts and spaced vertically apart; fence slats extending from said lower horizontal support member to said upper horizontal support member; said upper horizontal support member comprising a fixed member between said two vertical metal posts and a removable front rail that attaches to each of said vertical posts, said slats held between said fixed member and said removable front rail; and the lower support member having a three sided base in which the bottom of each of said slats resides.
 3. A fence construction as in claims 1 and 2, but with metallic protrusions facing the slats on the back portion of the upper horizontal support member.
 4. A fence construction as in claims 1 and 2, but with metallic protrusions facing the slats on the front portion of the upper horizontal support member. 